How Climate Change is Affecting Our Horse Industry

Climate change is substantially impacting Canadian horses horse properties and their owners. Almost 90 percent of Canadians in recent surveys say theyve already seen climate change effects in their communities. Horses are increasingly affected by respiratory diseases from wildfire smoke and dust skin disease and damaged hooves from variable weather and unforeseen parasites and diseases. Horse owners are struggling to purchase hay treat unexpected health issues and adapt to weatherrelated riding limitations. Meanwhile property owners are repairing damage from sudden storms drought excess water and wind. So its worth understanding how climate change will affect horses and properties into the future and what you can do to prepare for these changes.

Climate describes the prevailing weather conditions weve observed in Canada since the 1870s. Every province region and local area is experiencing climate change differently however one thing is certain the weather were now experiencing is different from the weather weve historically relied upon and its continuing to change. According to Natural Resource Canadas 2021 National Issues Report Canada is warming at double the global rate. The report states Were experiencing more extreme heat less extreme cold longer growing seasons shorter snow and ice cover seasons earlier spring peak stream flow thinning glaciers and rising sea levels. Extreme events such as floods and wildfires are increasing. Fortunately adaptation is possible which means that horse and property owners can proactively alter their properties and management practices to maximize horse health and reduce property damage.
Climate Change Effects
Elaine Wheaton is a climate scientist Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan and Senior Research Scientist at the Global Institute for Water Security. She lives in Saskatchewan and has managed horses cattle and crops for many years. Wheaton says that as the climate continues to change the weather will become more variable and modeling shows A storm track thats wobbling all over the place. This indicates multiple weeks of stable weather will be less likely while disaster events will occur one after another. For example a drought may be interspersed with heavy rain cold wind flooding and violent storms that start wildfires all of which compound impacts. Wheaton emphasizes These disastertype events will be more frequent theyre becoming more frequent already.
Not only will the weather be variable but overall Canada will have hotter wetter and drier weather which Wheaton says will contribute to more flooding longer droughts more wind erosion of soils and increased invasive species.